Amur (Siberian) Tiger

Range:

Far eastern Russia and northeast China.

Habitat:

Snow-covered coniferous and deciduous forests.

Characteristics:

The background color of the coat is pale-orange to rust-brown. The coat is overlaid with dark brown or black transverse stripes: forehead, cheeks, and legs are striped, and the tail is ringed. The coat is thick and shaggy, with the hair around the face longer than the rest of the body, forming a distinct cuff on the males.

Behavior:

The tiger is a solitary hunter, concealing itself in the undergrowth at night or twilight to ambush prey. It does not have stamina for long runs, and kills its prey by using its canines to bite the throat or neck. It will hide its kill under leaves or dirt, or even immerse it in water. Tigers often lie in long grass or caves, and will escape the heat of the day resting in a pool of water. They are excellent swimmers. Tigers have a variety of calls ranging from a "whoof" to a full-throated roar.

Reproduction:

Male and Female Amur tigers reach sexual maturity at about 31/2 to 4 years, and will produce a litter approximately every three years. 3 to 4 cubs are born after a gestation of 102-113 days. They are born with their eyes closed, weighing 2-3 pounds, with the distinctive tiger markings. The cubs will remain with the mother for about 2-2 1/2 years.

Interesting Facts:

White tigers are never found in the Amur subspecies. Only the bengal (Indian) subspecies carries the mutated recessive gene that produces the white coat.

About Our Animals:

The Zoo currently houses four Amur tigers.

Kazek (male): born July 14, 2003 at the Philadelphia Zoo came to Hogle Zoo in 2006.

Three tiger brothers: born June 2, 2009 at Hogle Zoo.

Bronevik

Vikentii

Kirill

Conservation:

All subspecies of tiger are endangered including: Amur (Siberian), Indian, Sumatran and Indo-Chinese. The South Chinese tiger is thought to be extinct in the wild (2002) although there are some individuals in captivity. The Caspian, Javan, and Bali tiger subspecies are thought to be extinct. AZA zoos, along with other Zoos from around the world, take part in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Amur tigers. As a part of this plan, zoos help conserve tigers by maintaining their genetic diversity through selective breeding.

Did YOU Know?

The number of Amur tigers in the wild is thought to be about 400, making it highly endangered.

Class:

mammal

Order:

Carnivora

Family:

Felidae

Genus:

Panthera

Species:

tigris altaica

Weight:

Largest of the tiger subspecies, weighing 400-650 pounds. A record male weighed 846 pounds